Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Timothy 1:8-9 KJV)
Affliction is not what I ever related to the call of Christ. No, I didn’t believe God would put a long, arduous, discomforting physical affliction in my life. But He did. Well He didn’t but He did. See, I don’t believe that God created sickness. I don’t believe that is in His character. Sickness comes because of corruption. Corruption is a result of the sin that came to man in The Garden…
Before I go on any further please let me explain what I don’t mean. I don’t mean that everyone that finds themself afflicted is a sinner. Well, maybe I do. I mean, I am a sinner. There is no shame in that confession. Not for me. I stand in awe of what is forgiven – daily.
Daily comes the call to be delivered from my loathing, bitter, fruitless, hateful affliction of The Gospel. When I was selfish, foolish, impatient I was showing how unwilling I was to submit my will to His. God called and each time I answered “Yes!” Yet, my heart was full of stones. Too many things that I had the right to be angry about. While denying that I was resentful of the affliction for the Gospel. I was not concerned about the purpose or the grace. Corruption had come and like Eve I had taken a bite of the forbidden fruit.
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